


Think of Me, Think of Us

by reijnders



Category: Original Work
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 10:54:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29666190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reijnders/pseuds/reijnders
Summary: Postwar, Karo has a lot of doubts about where his lif eis headed towards. He turns to an old friend for answers.
Kudos: 4





	Think of Me, Think of Us

The scent of fresh baked breads and hot soups wafted toward him from the kitchens, nestled into the rock face on the left side of the courtyard. The smell brought back memories, of cooking quietly, side by side, making food after lights out. Breaking rules, of course, as young boys are prone to do. There had been no grievances then, only happy expectations that were gone now, impossible to the fullest extent. It seemed like such a long time ago now, when the temple had been overrun with young acolytes, just as Karo and Eba had once been. Sneaking away from group prayer to play with wooden swords, running through the rainstorms in only their underclothes. Being children. Now, their makeshift play space was replaced by a weathered stone memorial. Where once had stood two young boys on the brink of adulthood now sat a man hardened by war, and the grave of a boy, too small for the armor he had been issued. Somewhere distant, probably by the stables bothering animals again, Karo could hear former general Nims Adana. Enemy turned somewhat friend, and maybe something more if Karo wasn’t so shut in. The regime had damaged the northern parts of the territory, and many had at first refused to change, but Nims was nice. He was healing, but he was kind, and not as violent at heart as he had been forced to be. Karo knew this, knew _him_ almost intimately now. But Nims wasn’t Eba. No one would ever be Eba again. The sun was setting, casting dark shadows across the courtyard from the tall spires of the temple walls. Karo didn’t flinch as a voice emerged from the empty space beside him.

“Did we win? Is it over?” The voice was pitchy, like that of a boy just entering puberty. Karo responded with a curt nod.

“Good. That’s good.” The voice continued. “Your hair’s gotten longer.”

“It should have. It’s been five years, Eba.” Karo’s own voice was steady, an even tone well practiced after years of growing up with the purpose of protecting someone he hadn’t even met until the previous year.

From the pale stone, a person stepped forth. His form was gangly and awkwardly tall, caught somewhere in between a child and an adult. Clad in shoddily patched pants, a thin shirt, and a heavy chest plate that had clearly been died in before himself, the ghost of Eba crouched down next to his old friend. Unlike Karo, his hair was cut short, jagged and layered oddly, a rushed job.

“It’s been five years, and you’re still a moody little baby when you think you might be feeling ~emotions~. I’m dead, Karo. Being pissed about it isn’t going to change that.” Eba turned his head towards Karo, blinking over the transparent holes where eyes would be on a living person, a physical reminder that his soul had already passed on into the next plane.

“You should move on.”

“Funny talk, coming from a ghost.”

“You know how serious I am. Just because you can’t see me doesn’t mean I can’t see you. Watched you ride up to the temple with some northerner. Couldn’t see his face very well but I saw how you looked at him, and _contrary_ to popular belief circa a few years ago, I am not too shabby at reading people. Reading you, in particular.” Eba reached out, placing his hand on Karo’s shoulder. “You’re allowed to love people; you know that right? You can make new friends and family, hell you can even get marred! No one’s stopping you but yourself. I just want you to be happy, and grow up for the both of us. “

Karo nodded again, blinking back tears that had refused to come since the day Eba had been shipped off. Around him, lanterns were being lit, and nighttime chores were being done by acolytes of various ages. Springtime was coming, and the air was warming again. The mountains were alive. The mountains, the valley below, the lake, and the ocean all around them; life had carried on, seemingly leaving the two of them in the dust. What they had been. What they could have been, had some selfish bastards in some far off corner of the island decided they wanted to wage war against everyone outside of their own land, and caused his oldest friend to be sent to his death in a war that was pointless without their leader. A leader that Karo himself had been prophesized to find and aid, a leader that had been missing for his whole life, a leader that he didn’t care to know at first because who was he to get to hide away in some tiny village, far from the war? But life hadn’t passed the both of them. It was Eba who had died, and although Karo’s heart lay dormant for a while, it did not die alongside him, and countless others.

“Karo? What are you doing out here without a coat? It’s getting cold.”

Karo startled, jerking his head up to stare at the speaker. He felt Eba’s presence vanish back into the air as Nims continued to chide him.

“I don’t see how you temple folk live here in the mountains, let alone during the winter. Not even double layering a good set of childhood robes could block out this chill.” Nims said with a shiver, drawing a blanket Karo hadn’t noticed he had closer around his shoulders.

“It’s… not that cold in our robes. Plus, long underwear is really insulating.” Karo responded slowly. He wiped his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

“Uh huh. You didn’t answer my question. You _abandoned_ me and I had to talk to people! Not fun! Very mean.”

“This is a memorial. The uh. People at the capital had to start pulling last resorts to keep up with the regime’s army. Started drafting from temples. “

Nims’ expression dropped. He scanned over the names carved into the stone, cringing inwardly at the large amount.

“Right. The regime. Not a very kind group, hm?” He decided against sitting down. “Did you lose someone you were close to?”

“Yes. And before you ask, I don’t want to talk about it anymore. That’s why I’m up here. …And it is getting pretty chilly.” Karo replied. He stood, brushing nonexistent dust off of his pants. “Join me for dinner?”

Nims looped his arm through Karo’s.

“I’d be delighted.”

From somewhere behind him, Karo could feel Eba smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time in a while writing something serious, and I don't write much fanfiction so I'm posting original works I guess. Hope to be able to put all my ideas into book length soon.


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